Nearly 160 000 charter holders to sit for CFA exams this weekend

2015 candidate pool increases by more than 10 000 prospective CFA charter holders committed to building professionalism and putting investors first.

The Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA) Institute, the global association of investment professionals, announced that 159 889 candidates from 174 countries worldwide have registered for level one, two and three CFA exams that are due to be written this weekend. This year’s exams, to be administered on Saturday, 6 June, have seen an increase in more than 10 000 registrations compared to June 2014.

In line with the global average South Africa saw an increase of 8% for the 2015 exams with the number of candidates who will sit for level one, two, and three increasing to 2,101 compared to 1,945 last year.

“The CFA Programme is the definitive path for gaining graduate level, ethically grounded, and real world skills for a career in the global investment management profession,” said Paul Smith, CFA, President and CEO of CFA Institute. “The diverse global pool of CFA charter holders is knowledgeable, relevant, and places investors’ interests first. The candidates who will sit for the exam this weekend are taking the next step towards earning the CFA charter and to advancing the value of the global profession to make the world a better place for investors.”

CFA Institute has more than 123 000 charter holders around the world who work in some of the most prominent firms, including JP Morgan Chase, PwC, HSBC, and FactSet. South Africa has over 1 400 charter holders. Employers know that by hiring charter holders, teams are strengthened with professionals who have an in-depth understanding of client needs, and the capacity to tailor and implement specific solutions.

The CFA Programme

The CFA Programme is a self-study programme, considered to be the most rigorous credentialing programme in the investment industry. The CFA curriculum is grounded in the practice of the investment profession and is methodically updated with knowledge, skills, and abilities (competencies) that are relevant to the profession. The three-level exam process covers topics including Ethical and Professional Standards, Quantitative Methods, Economics, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Corporate Finance, Investment Tools, Asset Classes, and Portfolio Management and Wealth Planning.

Each level of the CFA Program imparts a particular skill set:

• Level one is focused on investment tools and the foundations of the business, giving candidates the necessary knowledge and comprehension;
• Level two is focused on asset classes including equity investments, fixed income, derivatives, and alternative investments, emphasising candidates’ ability in application and analysis,
• Level three is focused on portfolio management and wealth planning, requiring candidates to be competent in synthesis and evaluation while making investment decisions.

Exam weekend comes after the launch of Putting Investors First Month in May, during which many of the organisation’s 144 member societies worldwide hosted local events to unite investment professionals in a commitment to place investor interests above all others. Learn more here.

Find out more about the CFA Programme and how it can help investment professionals to achieve professional excellence for an impactful career.